Key-operated lock mounting and removing arrangement



June 10, 1969 J. SCHREIBER 3,448,599

KEY-OPERATED LOCK MOUNTING AND REMOVING ARRANGEMENT Sheet of 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1967 i 4 7g 46 :J: I 66 A 35 JOSEPH SCHREIBER June 10, 1969 J. SCHREIBER 3,448,599

KEY-OPERATED LOCK MOUNTING AND REMOVING ARRANGEWIEN'I Filed Jan. 6, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH SCHREIBER f w ra s I United States Patent 3,448,599 KEY-OPERATED LOCK MOUNTING AND REMOVING ARRANGEMENT Joseph Schreiber, 18507 Forrer, Detroit, Mich. 48235 Filed Jan. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 607,838 Int. Cl. E05]: 9/04, 15/02, 19/02 US. Cl. 70-371 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Locking mechanisms, such as so-called cylinder locks and the like, are usually mounted in an operating position in an appropriate aperture in a door, a panel, or the like, by means which are designed to norm-ally prevent removal of the locking mechanism, except by an authorized person. The locking mechanism is disposed in the mounting aperture in the door, panel, or the like, and is secured and fastened in the aperture by fastening means that can not normally be reached, unless the locking mechanism has been unlocked and the enclosure protected by the locking mechanism has been open. Various fasteners are used for holding locking mechanisms in their appropriate mounting aperture, such as set screws, bolts and nuts, and the like. One of the disadvantages of such fastening means is that, when the casing of the locking mechanism is of a cylindrical shape, a hand tool, such as a pipe wrench, may be applied to the periphery of the protruding shouldered portion of the casing, and the casing may be rotated with enough force to break the set screws or the bolts for the purpose of removing the locking mechanism and breaking into the enclosure. It is also possible, in some locking mechanism designs, to drill through the casing from the outside of the enclosure sought to be protected, in the appropriate positions where the mounting screws or bolts are known tobe located, according to the make of the lock, so as to destroy or weaken such mounting screws or bolts for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the locking mechanism.

Where it is desired to change the combination of a lock, it is conventional to remove only the plug of the lock and replace it with a plug having a diiferent locking combination, without removing the lock casing. This is generally accomplished by providing means for holding the plug within the casing of the lock in such a manner that theplug may become longitudinally'movable in the casing bore when appropriate pins or tumblers which are adapted to hold the plug against longitudinal motion are operated by means of a special key. Such an arrangement has many disadvantages, because the lock thus has been designed with a built-in weakness which tends to facilitate tampering and breakage of the locking mechanism.

Summary of the invention 2 The present invention provides a substantial improvement over the means contemplated by the prior art for securing locking mechanisms in appropriate mounting See mechanism by authorized persons having a special lock removing key in their possession. In order to accomplish its purpose, the present invention contemplates providing the casing of a locking mechanism with securing and fastening means which are normally partly engaged into both the casing and an appropriate recess or recesses in the locking mechanism receiving aperture, such securing and fastening means being adapted to be retracted flush with the peripheral surface of the casing by operation of a special key, without the use of any other conventional or special tool. As will become apparent from the hereinafter detailed description, the principle of the invention may be applied to any type of locking mechanism whatsoever and to any locking mechanism casing configuration, having a circular transverse cross section, square of any other shape. Also, the lock mounting and securing arrangement of the present invention may take whatever configuration and shape as convenient for the type of locking mechanism into which it is incorporated.

The principal object of the present invention, consequently, is to provide a simple, economical, and tamperproof mounting and securing arrangement for a locking mechanism disposed in an appropriate aperture in a door, a panel, or the like, of an enclosure sought to be protected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide mounting and securing means for a locking mechanism which does away with the obligation of using mounting screws, bolts and nuts, mounting plates, etc., and which requires only a simple modification of the mounting aperture.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism that can be easily removed and changed by an authorized person having in its possession an appropriate lock removing key.

Other objects and advantages Oif the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the hereinafter description of some of the best modes contemplated to practice are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Brie description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional locking mechanism of the cylinder lock type provided with mounting and securing means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another type of a cylinder lock provided with a modification of the mounting and securing means according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cylinder lock provided with the mounting and securing means of FIG. 1, shown in a secured position in an appropriate lock receiving aperture in a door, panel, or the like;

FIG. 4 is a partial view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the lock mechanism with the plug thereof rotated to an unlocked position by means of a lock operating key;

FIG. 5 is a partial view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the lock mechanism being operated by a special lock removing key to a lock removing position;

FIG. 6 is a transverse cross section along line 6-6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross section along line 7-7 of FIG. 4;

. FIG. 8 is a transverse cross section along line 88- of FIG. 5;

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3 thereof, a lock mechanism is conventionally shown as comprising a housing or casing 12 which, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 6, is normally disposed in an appropriate aperture 14 in a door, panel, or the like, 16. The casing 12 is generally cylindrical as shown, although it may evidently be of any other appropriate shape. When cylindrical, the casing 12 may be provided with a substantially smooth peripheral surface, as shown in FIG. 1, or, as shown in FIG. 2, it may be provided with a peripheral surface having a thread, shown at 18, such that the casing may be screwed tight into an internally threaded aperture in the door, panel or the like. Such an arrangement is conventional and well known in the art.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the housing or casing 12 has a longitudinal bore 20 in which is rotatably mounted a cylindrical plug 22. The plug 22 is prevented from longitudinal motion by having a shouldered portion 24 adapted to engage an enlarged portion 26 of the casing longitudinal bore 20, the other end of the plug being provided, for example, with a peripheral groove 28 in which is normally engaged a spring or snap ring 30'. The plug 22 has an inwardly projecting end 31 provided With a slot, as shown at 32, or any other arrangement adapted to drive any conventional latch mechanism when the plug 22 is unlocked relatively to the casing 12 such as to be free to rotate with respect to the casing.

The lock casing 12 is preferably provided on the front end thereof with an enlarged shouldered portion 34 for abutment against the front face of the door or panel 16 when the lock is disposed within its mounting aperture 14 therein. In this mounted position, the lock casing 12 is normally maintained securely in a fixed location by way of protruding movable members which, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3-8, consist of, for example, a pair of projecting pins 36, or, which, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 9-11, consist of movable projecting bars 38. When the lock is attached in proper position in its mounting aperture, the pins 36, or bars 38, or whatever shape of projecting mounting members has been chosen, are in an extended position and engaging appropriate recesses or pockets formed in the wall of the lock receiving aperture 14. This is clearly shown at FIG. 3 and 6 wherein the pins 36 are shown extended and protruding from the peripheral surface of the casing 12 such that they are received within recesses 40 formed in the wall of aperture 14.

Each pin 36 is disposed within a chamber 42, disposed substantially in a radial direction in the casing 12, and open to the casing longitudinal bore 20 on one end, and adapted to communicate with the outside of the casing 12 by way of reduced diameter portion 44. Each pin 36 has a body 46 adapted to pass through the reduced diameter portion 44 of chamber 42, and an enlarged body portion 48 adapted to fit the main portion of chamber 42 and disposed toward the end thereof open to longitudinal bore 20. A spring means, such as coil spring 50, is compressed between the enlarged body portions 48 of the pin and the shoulder 52 of chamber 42, such that pin 36 is at all time urged inwardly, so as to be urged to a retracted position where it is not projecting outside of casing 12. However, because the total body length of each pin 36 is greater than the depth of chamber 42, the end of reduced diameter portion 46 of pin 36 is held in projection outside of the casing 12 in view of the end of the enlarged body portion 48 of the pin abutting against the peripheral surface 54 of plug 22, thus engaging recess 40 in mounting aperture 14.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 6, plug 22 and casing 12 are provided with a plurality of radial chambers 56 and 58 respectively which are normally radially aligned when the lock is in the locked condition of FIG. 6. In this locked condition, a tumbler 60 is urged by a spring means 62 such that an end portion of the tumbler 60 projects into radial chamber 56 in the plug 22 so as to immobilize the plug with respect to the casing 12, as is conventional and well known in the art. When an appropriate operating key, such as key 66 having shank 70 is introduced in keyway 68 in the plug, each pin 64 having a body portion 72 projecting, while in the locked condition, into keyway 68, is lifted by key shank 70 to appropriate positions corresponding to the code of the lock as determined by the depth of key shank depressions 73, at which position the abutting ends of each tumbler 60 and pin 64 are disposed substantially at the shear surface between the plug peripheral surface 54 and the housing cylindrical bore surface 20.

Radially disposed in plug 22 there is a chamber 74 for each chamber 42 in the casing 12 and of the same diameter as chamber 42, and capable of radial alignment therewith when the plug 22 has been unlocked and is rotated in relation to the housing. Within each chamber 74 is disposed a control member or slidable pin 76 having a reduced diameter body portion 78 capable of projecting within key way 68. The overall body length of control member or pin 76 including reduced diameter body portion 78 is substantially equal to the wall thickness of plug 22, such that when a normal operating key 66 is used to unlock the lock and to rotate the plug 22 with respect to the casing 12, each pin 76 has its end of reduced diameter body portion 78 abutting against the peripheral surface of the keyshank 70 such that when chambers 74 and 42 are in radial alignment, as shown in FIG. 4, each pin 36 is prevented from being retracted as a result of the outer end of pin 76 being substantially flush with the end of chamber 74 and preventing the enlarged body portion 48 of pin 36 from projecting into chamber 74. The lock can thus be operated in the usual manner from a locked to an unlocked position and the normal operating key 66 can be introduced, rotated and removed without interfering with the mounting and securing of the lock casing in the mounting aperture 14.

In order to install the lock in the door or panel aperture 14, or in order to remove an already installed lock, a special control or lock removing key 66' must be used. Such a lock removing key is in all points similar to an ordinary operating key for the appropriate type of lock, with the exception that it is provided on the surface of its shank 70' with depressions, shown at 80 on FIGS. 5 and 8, of a depth substantially equal to the distance at which each fastening pin 36 projects from the peripheral surface of the housing or casing 12. Consequently, when lock removing key 66' is introduced into keyway 68 to unlock the plug 22 relative to the casing 12, and when the plug 22 is rotated relatively to casing 12 to the appropriate angular position that places each pair of chambers 74 and 72 in radial alignment, pins 36 are allowed to project within chambers 74 under the action of each spring 50 of a distance sufiicient to completely retract the projecting end of each pin and to permit removal or introduction of the lock casing 12 in its appropriate mounting aperture.

As shown in FIG. 2, and more clearly in FIGS. 9-11, the projecting pins 36 of FIG. 1 may be modified or may be adapted to actuate any appropriate fastening means providing a strong connection between the lock casing and a mounting aperture in a door or panel. For example, on the end of each pin 36 may be mounted a split ring, not shown, capable of retraction into circular peripheral grooves cut on the peripheral outer surface of the casing 12, or, such mounting means may take the form shown in the drawings at FIG. 2 and 9-11 wherein one or more bars 38 are longitudinally disposed in a longitudinal groove 82 formed on the peripheral surface of casing 12. Each end of each bar 38 is supported 'by a pin 36, aflixed thereon, or made integral therewith, each pin 36 being provided with an enlarged body portion 48 disposed within a chamber 42 in the casing 12 55 substantially as previously explained with respect to the example of FIGS. 1, and 3-8. The arrangement of the elements is generally as previously explained in detail and the operation thereof is also as previously explained in detail.

The lock removing key 66' must, of necessity, have depressions 80 on the peripheral surface of the shank 70' thereof that corresponds to each of the pair of radial chambers 42 and 74, so as to permit each one of the mounting or fastening pins 36 to be retracted and each one the mounting means such as .bars 38 supported by such pins to be also retracted flush with the peripheral surface of the casing 12 when it is desired to mount the lock in its mounting aperture or remove it therefrom. It is evident also that the recesses or pockets in the lock mounting aperture in the door, panel, or the like, have a configuration corresponding to the configuration of the mounting means and that when bars such as bars 38 are used, corresponding slots or grooves are disposed in the walls of the aperture.

In applications where the material of the door or panel on which the locking mechanism is mounted is substantially soft, such as would be the case if the door or panel was made of wood, a metallic insert is disposed in the aperture or metallic hollow plugs or rails are disposed in the pockets, recesses or slots in the aperture walls.

It is evident that, although the invention has been described and illustrated in applications wherein the locking mechanisms are according to the types disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,167,943, 3,348,392 and Re. 26,272, the principles of the present invention may be incorporated into any type of locking mechanisms whatsoever irrespective of the key shank shape or corresponding keyway shape.

Having thus described the invention by way of some examples of practical embodiments thereof, what is claimed as new and sought to be protected by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock comprising a casing, a plug provided with a longitudinal keyway and rotatable in said casing, a plurality of radially disposed alignable chambers in both said casing and plug, spring biased pin-tumbler assemblies in said chambers for normally preventing said plug from rotation relatively to said casing when said chambers are aligned and an operating key capable of being introduced in said keyway for operatively engaging the pins of said pin-tumbler assemblies for permitting said plug to be rotatable relatively to said casing, means for securing said casing in an appropriate lock receiving aperture in a door or the like, said means comprising:

at least one radially disposed first chamber in said casa radially disposed second chamber in said plug capable of alignment with said first chamber;

a first pin in said first chamber having an end normally projecting beyond the peripheral surface of said casing for engagement into an appropriate recess in said lock receiving aperture and another end normally engaging the peripheral surface of said plug;

biasing means urging said first pin in the direction that retracts the projecting end thereof;

a second pin in said second chamber of a length substantially equal to the length of said second chamber and having an end capable of projecting into said key-way for normally engaging the peripheral surface of said key when in said key-way; and

a lock removing key having a depression on the peripheral surface thereof disposed so as to permit the projecting end of said second pin to protrude within said depression at a predetermined angular position of said plug relatively to said casing wherein said chambers are radially aligned and the protruding end of said first pin is retracted.

2. The invention claimed in claim 1 further comprisat least one longitudinal slot on the periphery of said casing;

a bar member disposed in said slot; and

means operatively connecting said bar to the normally projecting end of said first pin for causing said bar to normally project from said slot for engagement into an appropriate recess in said lock receiving aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 378,267 2/1888 Taylor -370 2,008,662 7/1935 Beckert 70-224 2,268,511 12/1941 Ledin 70-371 2,489,484 11/1949 Dyson 70-38 3,090,219 5/ 1963 Levin 70-315 FOREIGN PATENTS 774,139 9/ 1934 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. ROBERT L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 70-378, 404 

